What would you have done?

[Postieboy]

Hi all,

Riding along the flat in the left hand lane (2 lane road - no shoulder) doing about 35-40, ahead of me were 3 qued cars in the right hand lane at a intersection. I am always cautious of approaching this sort of situation as I have found cars will often jump out unexpectedly into the left lane cutting you off etc. Well thismorning it happend. One of the qued cars (a ute towing a trailer) pulled out what seemed like right next to me. I immediately yelled, hit the anchors and swerved to the left, fortunately for me to the left there was a long driveway entrance that I somehow managed to go up and then ran over the gutter and into the side street. If that driveway wasn't their I am certain I would have been hit by the ute and/or trailer. To make things worse while I was taking evasive action ploughing over the driveway and gutter, I heard his brakes lock, and then he sped off at full throttle, obviously he had just saw what happened.

Well I managed to catch up to him at the next set of lights, and still being fairly angry about the whole thing banged on his window and shook my head. The driver just sat in his seat and looked straight ahead and did not aknowledge me. I took off at the lights and I continued my ride to work as per normal.

After pondering my actions all day at work running through all the different possible scenarios I thought I would put it to you guys, what would you have done if you were in my shoes and perhaps what should I have done?

[Boognoss]

Welcome to the forum.

The sensible citizen in me thinks you should have let it go in case he was a nutter than snapped when you touched his car. Self-preservation and all that.

What I probably would have done is snapped myself and kept banging on the window until I got a reaction. Also might have put my airhorn to use to assist in his noticing, and usually video record my commutes so that his actions and rego would be going straight to Youtube at the least. Not necessarily sensible, but in the heat of the moment I can become very angry at idiots on the road.

[human909]

This happened to me on Friday. I was riding along two lane Heidelberg Road which has a pseudo bike lane, which is narrow and often insufficient. Normally I two lanes of cars can coexist with uncomfortable and nervous cyclists.

Four cars were stuck behind a right turning car. I actually moved out and held the left lane for about 50m-100m to make myself more visible. A Holden P plate driver pulled out and accelerated hard just as I was passing the stopped cars. A quick twitch of the handle bars and I swerved around him and shot ahead of him. I looked behind and expressed my disapproval with an open raised arm and a Say What expression. Naturally he reacted as if I did something wrong.

[Postieboy]

I think what I did was over the top, and did not help the situation. After cooling down about it all I think I should have not banged on his window, because who knows I could have had the snot beaten out of me!

[human909]

I think what I did was over the top, and did not help the situation. After cooling down about it all I think I should have not banged on his window, because who knows I could have had the snot beaten out of me!

Thats up to you. Personally I when somebody almost kills/seriously injures me I want to let them know about it. If that means banging on their window then I will do that. Personally I don't fear being beaten up. It is a rare event and besides I can escape fast, I'm on a bike.

[lethoso]

Well I managed to catch up to him at the next set of lights, and still being fairly angry about the whole thing banged on his window and shook my head. The driver just sat in his seat and looked straight ahead and did not aknowledge me.

Gotta love it when people are too chickenshit to even look you in the face after cutting you off. I would have done similar, probably loud swearing instead of banging though.

[bosvit]

For me it all depends on the situation really.

Was this a case of he saw you and didn't care and went anyway or was he just ignorant of the possibility of cyclists?

Ignorance gets a very loud "Your playing with my life here"

Eyes meeting and going anyway... Well bike shoes are hard and tail lights are soft..... Your on a bike and far more maneuverable than a car and faster than a dude on foot. (Plus I'm a big angry man )

Not that I am condoning violence or criminal acts

[Burt 'Pigeon Racer' Jones]

I LOVE thes sorts of d/heads.
True story below

Riding down towards a 4 way intersection in Parramatta that's 1 1/2 lanes wide, when a driver in a BMW soft roader passes within inches of hitting me.

He didn't get very far as we had a red light, so I pull up next to the car and rap on the drivers window. He raps back on the inside of the window, and giving me a stupid look.
So I smash back with a fist on the window, and the driver finally winds the window down.

Him: What's you're problem?
Me: Cut it a bit fine back there didn't you?!?!?!?
Him: Well don't take up so much room then (he had heaps of room).
Me: You had heaps of room, and besides you were coming down to a red light, so you weren't going to get very far anyway were you?!?!?!?!?!
Him: You're a bit of a smart ar*e aren't you?!?!?!?!
Me: You're a bit of a f**kwit!!!!!!
Him: How about I arrest you?!?!?!
Me: Oh yeah, where's you're badge?!?!?!?!
Him: I don't need one. I'll make a citizens arrest.
Me: BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I'm going to ride off now, but you make sure to get my no. plate. Douche bag!(AT)

The look on his face was better than if I had've caved it in.

[Postieboy]

For me it all depends on the situation really.

Was this a case of he saw you and didn't care and went anyway or was he just ignorant of the possibility of cyclists?

Ignorance gets a very loud "Your playing with my life here"

Eyes meeting and going anyway... Well bike shoes are hard and tail lights are soft..... Your on a bike and far more maneuverable than a car and faster than a dude on foot. (Plus I'm a big angry man )

Not that I am condoning violence or criminal acts

He must have known I was there he had just overtaken me in the right hand lane 100-200 metres previously, I had my front light blinking and was in the middle of the lane.

What made me turn into a mad man was the fact that he took off flat out after the incident, rather than winding the window down and saying sorry or that he didnt see me. I can accept that accidents happen, and its unfortunate that we are so vulnerable on the bikes rather than sitting in a metal tank, but in my opinion he should have at least aknowledged fault, I know I would if I did the same.

[jules21]

Naturally he reacted as if I did something wrong.

his P-plater training kicked in - when you don't have a clue, just act like everyone else is to blame for everything that happens to you and never concede any ground, no matter how obvious it was you were to blame.

[il padrone]

I LOVE thes sorts of d/heads.
True story below

Riding down towards a 4 way intersection in Parramatta that's 1 1/2 lanes wide, when a driver in a BMW soft roader passes within inches of hitting me.

He didn't get very far as we had a red light, so I pull up next to the car and rap on the drivers window. He raps back on the inside of the window, and giving me a stupid look.
So I smash back with a fist on the window, and the driver finally winds the window down.

Him: What's you're problem?
Me: Cut it a bit fine back there didn't you?!?!?!?

Another true story that began like this too.

Him: Do you have a licence for that bike?
Me: What ?
Him: Where's your bike licence?
Me: Don't need one.
Him: Well there you are then.
(dismissive c***)

I was annoyed by the inference here. Reached for his windscreen wipers, initially to rip 'em off, but just left both sticking straight up
Him: You put that back!!
Me: Hmm hmmm

He gets out of the car and flips the wipers down then gets back in and turns his wheels hard left towards me.
Me, to my mate: Ant, crash the lights!
Ant: Wha?
Me: Crash through, this guy's a crazy!!

We take off, loony asiatic in Corolla (yep!) thrashing after us. We both take to the footpath and he roars by. Whoah!!




A couple of days later, when driving home, I see a Corolla ahead of me........ it's the number plate . He drives into a house right at the end of my street

One morning soon after, this asiatic gent gets out to drive to work and finds he can't use his car. Some whacko has glued up the garage door lock with Araldite . Did his wife a favour anyway - he had to replace the cr@ppy old doors with a new rolladoor.

[Robdog]

Naturally he reacted as if I did something wrong.

his P-plater training kicked in - when you don't have a clue, just act like everyone else is to blame for everything that happens to you and never concede any ground, no matter how obvious it was you were to blame.

Let's remember that there are P-Platers that use this forum who might be more than a little offended by the inference you're making

[Sveky]

These days i shout my mouth and just move on but it depends on the seriousness of drivers actions wether it warrents noting the rego or having a word with them.

It's not worth getting your head smashed in by some nutter. Believe me I'm surprised of the amount of nutcases there are just ready to smash the living daylights out of you.

Also be selective of your targets

[jules21]

A couple of days later, when driving home, I see a Corolla ahead of me........ it's the number plate . He drives into a house right at the end of my street

that's gold. there's a guy who i saw pull out of a block of flats on my commute home, who proceeded to yell the foulest abuse at some lady who crossed the road (with the lights) as he wanted to turn right across her. completely unnecessary and i've encountered him before, driving like a complete d***head. so tempting to teach him a lesson, but i can't bring myself to do it... yet

[zarniwoop]

The fact he initially roared off then wouldn't engage with you probably suggests he made a mistake reacted with the "stuff you" response then realised he had messed up and didn't want to deal with it. There seems to be three responses people make when they have made a response:

1. They apologise - rare
2. They ignore - slightly less rare but at least they are not getting aggro
3. They get aggressive and blame you for their mistake - most common response.

I wouldn't beat yourself up too much about getting angry, nearly getting killed will do that to you.

I try not to respond to this type of stuff generally as it normally leads to issues (see point 3) but in the heat of the moment it's not easy. The trick I think is to back off once you've said your piece, too many nutters and it's too easy to get seriously hurt.

[rider]

I've read enough stories on the news about road rage to make me think twice before i go off at another motorist. You just dont know what crazies are out there and at the end of the day i rather get home to my family.

[trailgumby]

@Shimimomomomo:

"rego" doesn;t seem to stop drivers from doing similar and getting away with it.

I'd be happy to put on a rego plate. It's going to shut the trolls up and be so small as to be unreadable by most people more than a car length away To fit on a bike without posing a safety hazard to the rider limits the size to no more than about 50mm square. So there's nothing to lose by being registered if you have a thing for tail lights, because it's ain't gonna do anything for accountability. Really, you people don;t think things through do you? Were you thinking you'd fit a car rego plate on a bike? Really.

What would be better is for drivers to quit bullying cyclists, then there'd be no passive/agressive acting out.

My personal preference is for rear fender panels. Easier to dent and more expensive to fix.

[il padrone]

Hmm, shimomo's post has disappeared ?

[ratter]

take note of his rego, then for the next few weeks just make random phone calls to your local hoon hotline about his burnouts, etc

[trailgumby]

The pollution hotline's another option, especially if the car is old and has exhaust residue on the paint near the tailpipe.

[damhooligan]

Hi all,

Riding along the flat in the left hand lane (2 lane road - no shoulder) doing about 35-40, ahead of me were 3 qued cars in the right hand lane at a intersection. I am always cautious of approaching this sort of situation as I have found cars will often jump out unexpectedly into the left lane cutting you off etc. Well this morning it happend.

Just curious , what was your speed while riding next to the qued cars?
As i read it you were doing 35-40. (correct me if i am wrong here...)
But that is not really an appropiate speed for that situation, from my point of vieuw.
Feel free to dissagree, but with a slower speed the situation could have been a lot different.
It doesn't change the fact that the ute driver was a D-head and his actions where wrong.

[Shimomo]

be unreadable by most people more than a car length away

Easy fix, just look for the one joker WITH the plate on their bike.

To fit on a bike without posing a safety hazard to the rider limits the size to no more than about 50mm square. So there's nothing to lose by being registered if you have a thing for tail lights, because it's ain't gonna do anything for accountability. Really, you people don;t think things through do you? Were you thinking you'd fit a car rego plate on a bike? Really.

Then saddlebags would be out of the question for safety hazards sake, i mean, they're alot bigger than 50x50mm. Cry more.

Or maybe your riding skills arent at a level where you can comfortably ride with a piece of tin attached to the bike?

My personal preference is for rear fender panels. Easier to dent and more expensive to fix.

If you can live with yourself being a petty vandal then that's your choice.

[Shimomo]

Reposting this taking the incriminating word out of the post because some people are precious.

And it's jolly foolish people like you that show that cyclists should have registration plates so that when they commit acts of property damage like you're alluding to, they can be held accountable for their actions. Instead of damaging somebodies property, and riding off into the distance in complete obscurity

[Robdog]

My personal preference is for rear fender panels. Easier to dent and more expensive to fix.

If you can live with yourself being a petty vandal then that's your choice.

Well if it's all the dangerous driver (or better still attempted murderer) gets by way of recrimination I can't say I'm against it.

Oh dear, promised myself I'd never get drawn into this BS. Oh well

[Mulger bill]

Reposting this taking the incriminating word out of the post because some people are precious.

I see nobody (well nearly nobody [Our own esteemed Nobody included])being precious, care to elucidate?

I take it Shamoomo that you haven't actually noticed the many threads here where camera equipped riders have actually got video evidence (including plates) of smokeboxed morons endangering other legitimate road users and the apparent indifference of most law enforcement agencies? Or you asking for special treatment for naughty cyclists based on what? The fact that they injure and/or kill thousands of Australians every year, oops, wrong transport mode...